Dentistry

What is it?

Cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry is a way of improving your appearance, much as you would use cosmetic surgery or even a new hairstyle. There are now a large number of treatments that can safely and effectively straighten, lighten, reshape and repair your teeth. These include veneers, white fillings, whitening, orthodontics, implants, crowns and bridges.

Crowns

Crowns are constructed to restore heavily filled, discoloured, broken or maligned teeth. Crowning involves the removal of an amount of the surface all around the tooth which is then replaced by a colour-matched cap to mimic the natural tooth.

Veneers

Carefully matched and tough porcelain veneers can transform discoloured misshapen or spaced teeth. They are mainly used to treat upper front teeth. They are made of dental porcelain, attached to the front surface of the teeth and once seated are extremely strong and durable. It is also possible to treat chips on teeth with veneers. They offer a simple and effective way of improving your smile.

Bridges

Bridges are constructed to replace a missing tooth as an alternative to a denture. There are two basic types of bridge:-

Conventional Bridges – one or more adjacent teeth are prepared as if being crowned. The laboratory fixes a colour-matched artificial tooth to the crown or crowns during construction, and the whole structure is then cemented permanently in one piece.

Adhesive Bridges – a colour-matched porcelain tooth is constructed with alloy wings extended from the tooth. These wings are cemented behind the adjacent teeth holding the new tooth in place.

Implants

Implants replace missing teeth and are a more long-term alternative to dentures or bridgework. Implants are titanium rods that are placed into the jawbone, leaving parts sticking out through the gum, as anchors for fastening dentures or crowns onto.